Qasr Libya Museum

In 1957 a bulldozer working near Qasr Libya uncovered the floor of a sixth-century church laid with fifty square mosaic panels, each showing a different subject: personifications of cities, rivers, animals, buildings and abstract designs, with one panel showing the Pharos of Alexandria. The panels were lifted and a museum was built to hold them, mounted on the walls so they can be read one by one. A second church stands nearby.

What to look for

• The fifty panels - each a separate mosaic subject from the church floor.
• The Pharos panel - the depiction of the lighthouse of Alexandria.
• The city personifications - the figures representing places across the empire.
• The second church - the further Byzantine building beside the museum.

When to go

March to May and October to November are the comfortable months. The museum keeps daytime hours and closures are common. Summer is hot.

What to expect

Opening is unreliable and the museum has been closed for extended periods. Lighting inside is poor for viewing mosaics. Travel in Libya requires arrangements through a licensed operator.

Nearby

Cyrene is east, and Ptolemais is west.

Key facts